Didn't go as Planned
by Autobot Guardian
Summary: After Embo's latest adventures, he got a bit of time to finally heal... but that quiet won't last long. Trapped in the dangerous wilderness of New Earth, he must lead clones, Jedi, and politicians alike to survive, as they go on a hazardous journey across a continent to get to safety. Will they make it? Or will they end up as victims of the elements? (Takes place after ATWOFT)
1. Leaving Coruscant

_**Ok, everyone, it's time for another story! This is the sequel to As the Wheels of Fate Turn, and takes place about a month after the last chapter of the above mentioned as a bit of a review, in the last story, Embo had worked through a lot of problems because of childhood trauma, which had been caused by Darth Sidious when he suppressed Embo's connection to the force when our brave Kyuzo was only seven months old. After killing Sidious, ironically with the same knives that his older brother Mavo had when trying to defend Embo from the Sith and ended up being killed himself, Embo still needed some time to work through the rest of his problems, with the help of the Jedi, so he and Sugi stayed at the Temple, while the rest of the Bounty Hunters, including a wounded Cad Bane, left for the colony on New Earth, taking the ships belonging to Embo and Sugi at the same time for some updates.**_

 _ **Now, about a month later, Embo and Sugi are helping the Republic get a team ready to go to New Earth to scout out a location for and build a base there. Since Embo had already had a home in the colony for over a year by this time, he knows his way around, and has quite a bit of experience with the planet, making him an invaluable asset to the team.**_

 _ **DISCLAIMERS!**_

 _ **Own Star Wars, I do not. Own only OCs, I do. Plotline, mine as well, it is. Heh heh heh… Plagiarism, the path to the Dark Side, it is. Plagiarise, I will not.**_

* * *

" _Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed._

 _It means the damage no longer controls your life."_

 _~Akshay Dubey_

 __" _I have danced too deeply in my shadows, to ever fear the walk of my sunshine."_

― _Nikki Rowe_

* * *

"Greetings, Chancellor Chuchi," Obi-Wan said, bowing to the Pantoran woman in respect. "We were just finishing our preparations to go to New Earth, to find a location for the main base there."

"That is good to hear, Master Kenobi," she said, then motioned for her two guards to come forward. One of them was carrying a large suitcase. "For I intend to come with you."

"Your Excellency…" Kenobi started, but the Chancellor cut him off.

"I know it could have risks, but I have wanted to see the planet ever since Padme described Embo's beautiful garden to me; besides, with my two guards, three Jedi, two skilled Bounty Hunters, and Padme and her two guards, as well as thirty clones; I will be well protected.

" **I think you forgot someone,** " a new voice said, just before a large, furry white blur tackled the Pantoran to the ground! It was an anooba, and he was happily giving Riyo Chuchi a coating of slobber, tail wagging excitedly. Embo soon came into sight from behind a stack of crates, and clicked his fingers, saying, " **Marrok, come here.** "

Marrok instantly trotted over to his master, while Obi-Wan helped the Chancellor to stand back up.

"Are you all right, Chancellor?" one of her guards asked worriedly. He knew the anooba wasn't trying to hurt her, but he was big and heavy enough to accidentally injure her by knocking her down like that!

"I am fine; thank you for your concern," Riyu said, wiping anooba saliva from her face. She had only visited a few times when she could interact with Marrok, but she was already fond of what she saw as a giant, loveable ball of fur. No matter how many times he ruined her hair and makeup.

" **That's good to hear,** " Embo said wryly, " **because we're ready to depart, if you're coming.** "

He motioned towards the ship, which was a uniquely-designed vessel that had a passenger capacity of 45, the bridge near the nose, and was sleekly shaped like some kind of bird. The hull was painted in red, white, and silver.

"What kind of ship is this?" Riyo asked, walking towards it. A clone answered.

"It's a new kind of ship, ma'am; an Eagle-class Fighter/Transport. She's got six turrets and six torpedo launchers, plus a minimum operating crew of one. This is one of the first built."

"Thank you, Trooper," Chancellor Chuchi said, walking into the ship. Everyone was getting onboard, and they soon took off...

* * *

 _ **And that's our first chapter! It ended up shorter than I thought it would be (as it so often is when transferring from paper to computer), but it's a nice opening into the sequel, if I do say so myself! Next chapter, we'll have a bit of a plot twist, so be prepared!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	2. The Crash!

_**Ok, we're back with the next chappie, so let's get to it! Embo seems to have a bit of trouble in this chapter… but I don't think it's anything the brave Kyuzo can't handle!**_

 _ **DISCLAIMERS!**_

 _ **The author doesn't own Star Wars, only the OCs and planets she made up.**_

* * *

" _He's always looking out for his teammates,_

 _His friends, his family._

 _He's a little over-protective._

 _It doesn't stop in the locker room._

 _It carries into the outside world."_

 _~ Nikki Burish_

* * *

"We are approaching our destination; coming out of hyperspace," one of the pilots said into the comm, while the second pilot made preparations. When they pulled out of hyperspace, the first thing they saw was a beautiful blue, green, and white planet that had a strange resemblance to Naboo.

"That's some planet, Turbo," the second clone said next to his comrade, just as Embo entered the control room.

" **It truly is a breathtaking sight, TJ,** " the Kyuzo said, using the shortened version of the clone's name, Twin-Jet. Suddenly, the ship trembled, as several impacts and small explosions rocked it!

"Are we under attack?!" Turbo shouted, flinching back when his controls shorted out! Embo looked at the scanners, and swore creatively at what he saw.

" **No, meteor shower! I was hoping we'd have gotten here in time to land before it came!** " The Kyuzo then looked towards the planet. " **Get on the comm… We're going down.** "

* * *

When the warning came about the impending crash, everyone had gotten into emergency harnesses, and they knew they were trusting Embo and the pilots with their lives.

Then, the pilots joined them.

"Pilots, what are you doing here?!" Cody demanded, as the pilots got strapped in.

"Embo ordered up here, sir!" TJ said, "He said he's going to make sure we land on the right continent!"

"I trust Embo; he knows what he's doing," Sugi said, strapped in next to the Chancellor. "He'll do everything he can to keep us all in one piece."

* * *

Embo swore at the nearly-unresponsive controls, barely getting them to work enough to angle the ship into a longer glide path. It had entered the stratosphere, and was approaching the surface rapidly.

Relying on his vision alone, he spotted a large hill in the middle of a clearing in the thick forest below, and changed the glide path so the ship would slide down the opposite side like a ramp.

 _2,000 meters…_ '

Embo forced himself not to look away, keeping the ship on course for his chosen landing zone.

' _1,000 meters…_ '

He heard an explosion somewhere in the ship.

' _100 meters…_ '

The Kyuzo closed his eyes, just before impact. He was thrown violently from the seat, before everything went black...

* * *

 _ **And that's chapter 2! Sorry about how short it is… I thought it would be longer… Once again, the length in the notebook has deceived me!**_

 _ **Well, what will become of our brave heroes? Did they survive? Did some of them die? And what of poor Embo? Find out next time!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	3. Aftermath

_**Ok, everyone, it's time for chapter 3! Last chapter, I left off at a HUGE cliffhanger, so it's time for the reveal!**_

 _ **Also, a little shut-out to Obsidian Tear, who has been SO amazing at giving me reviews! They've been letting me know what they think of my writing, and that helps me become more inspired to write more! I know you're always looking forward to my writing, since you reviewed on almost every chapter of ATWOFT, so here you are, my friend!**_

 _ **I think you all know the disclaimers by now, so let's get on with the story!**_

* * *

" _I know it's possible to overcome even very big problems in life, to heal yourself and move on"_

 _~ Jodi Ann Bickley_

* * *

"Everyone ok?" Ahsoka asked, unstrapping herself from her seat. Her question was answered by a chorus of mumbled "yeah"s and "I think so"s. As everyone got out of their seats, they all looked a bit bruised and scraped, but otherwise unharmed. Then Sugi cruied out!

"Embo! He was piloting the ship!"

A sense of dread stole over them all, and Rex spoke up.

"I'll go look for him. Jesse, Kix, with me!" The two clones complied, Kix grabbing a nearby medical kit, and headed towards the front of the ship. Then, Obi-Wan turned to the rest of the clones.

"Alright, while they're doing that, we need to salvage what we can from the ship, and figure out our next move. Waxer, Boil, I'd like you two to scout around to see what the landscape's like. Take Marrok with you." At the sound of his name, the white anooba perked up, and trotted over to the two clones.

"Yes, sir," Waxer said, then walked out of the ship with Boil. "Come on, Marrok...

* * *

Rex and Jesse finally managed to force the door to the control room open, and were shocked at what they saw.

The room was virtually destroyed; consols smashed and parts strewn everywhere. A pool of dark crimson blood drew their attention, and they saw Embo lying in a crumpled heap on the floor in a corner; right leg twisted unnaturally, left arm at an odd angle, and gashes cutting across his chest and the left side of his head.

"Kix, get over here!" Rex ordered, running to the Kyuzo's side. Embo was out cold, but still breathing. Still alive.

The medic was soon there, and quickly checked Embo's wounds. "Leg's broken in two places… left ankle is twisted… his left shoulder is dislocated… and a finger is broken on his left hand." Kix then looked around, and spotted some metal rods sticking out of the walls. Taking Embo's lightsaber from its clip, he handed it to the Captain, saying, "here, cut some of those rods from the walls with this. I need to make a splint for his leg, and he's too tall for the ones in the med kit."

"Sure thing," Rex said, grabbing the weapon. Activating the saber, he went over to the rods, looking for straight ones that were long enough.

Soon, he found three rods that were each about 4.5 feet in length, and used the lightsaber to cut them from the wall. He deactivated the blade, and grabbed the rods, hurrying back to the others with them. "Here, I found these. Will they work?"

Kix had, with Jesse's help, gotten Embo laid flat on his back, right leg straightened out. The medic took one look at the rods, and nodded. "We might need to shorten some a little, but they're a good length…"

* * *

 _ **Wow… that was shorter than I expected. However, Embo is still alive, and nobody else was seriously injured, so yay! Next chapter, we're going to see how the others are doing!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	4. Well, Now What?

_**Chapter 4, here we go! In the last chapter, we saw the immediate aftermath of the crash… now we're going to see more!**_

 _ **You know the disclaimers.**_

* * *

" _Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed._

 _It means the damage no longer controls your life."_

 _~ Akshay Dubey_

* * *

When the three clones were finally able to carry Embo outside, the rest of the group had managed to gather together all equipment, supplies, and personal belongings they could salvage, but the scouts had not yet returned.

"Embo!" Sugi cried, running over to them, worried about her beloved partner. Kix was quick to reassure her.

"Ma'am, he'll be fine, he's just a bit banged up. I just need some help shoving his shoulder back in place…" Then, Anakin came over.

"I'll do it. Putting limbs back into their sockets is one of the few healing techniques I know." Kix nodded, and the Jedi had the small group follow him to where a shelter had been constructed out of plating that had been torn off of the ship in the crash.

Rex and Jesse carefully laid Embo down on a bed made of blankets, and Anakin knelt beside him, putting a hand on the Kyuzo's dislocated left shoulder. After a few seconds, there was a sickening _crunch_ , and the arm was shoved back in place! At the same time, Embo woke up with a loud cry of pain, and accidentally blasted the Jedi back with a pulse of Force energy!

Instantly, Kix injected Embo with some painkiller, while Rex went to help his General. When Anakin came back, the Kyuzo looked ashamed.

" **Sorry…** " he said, not looking at the Jedi. Anakin sighed, kneeling next to him again.

"It wasn't your fault, Embo. Your Force just lashed out because of the pain, that's all." He went on to explain about the injuries and what had happened after the crash, finishing just as Waxer and Boil returned with Marrok.

"Sir, we've finished scouting the immediate area," Waxer informed Anakin, since Obi-Wan was busy with something else.

"Well, let's hear it."

* * *

"The area to the north is heavily forested, filled with hills and small cliffs," Waxer said, pointing to the area on the holographic map he had constructed with the data from his and Boil's helmets, projected by a holoprojector he borrowed from Embo. "To the east is a large river; south, we found more woodlands; and to the west there were more trees, but also some strange animals."

"Animals?" Skywalker asked, and Waxer brought up a hologram of a four-legged, mammalian creature with hooves and a long, flowing mane and tail. Embo laughed tiredly, recognizing it instantly.

"What's so funny?"

" **Just that we've had a stroke of luck. Those creatures are wild horses; Earth Native Americans once tamed them for mounts and beasts of burden,** " Embo explained, and the others' eyes widened in realization.

"If we could catch and tame some of those horses…" Anakin said slowly, "We could use them to travel faster, and transport the larger equipment!"

" **I think I can figure out our current location…** " Embo said, reaching for the projector, and zooming the image out, matching the data from the clones to the maps he already had. Then, he pointed to a blinking green triangle in the Southeastern quarter of the continent. " **This is us, next to a major river, and this,** " he pointed to a blue square near the western coast, " **Is the colony. Thousands of klicks away.** "

"Then it'll take a while…" Anakin said in concern, glancing at Embo's leg, "and with your injuries…"

" **The horses are our best chance,** " Embo interrupted, determined. " **I'll be fine if we can build some kind of wagon, sled, or litter, Skywalker. I have a box of holopads in my personal belongings; they have instructions on them for situations like this… and we need to figure out food as well.** "

"What do you have in mind?"

* * *

 _ **Well, that got really complicated, really quick, didn't it? What will happen next? What is Embo going to have the others do? Will they be able to make it across an entire continent to be able to reach the colony? Only time will tell…**_

 _ **Also, in case any of you were wondering, I placed this in the North American continent: the colony is located near the Californian coast, while our brave heroes crashed near the Mississipi River in the Northeastern corner of Arkansas.**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	5. The Jedi, the Horses, and the Kyuzo

_**Ok, everyone, we are BACK! Sorry for the short hiatus, but since my family only has one computer that is accessible to EVERYONE, and my phone (which still doesn't have a SIM card) isn't that easy for me to type on, I couldn't really get much done. I was also fishing for a while there, so I didn't really have internet connection while on the road.**_

 _ **However, we are back, and I'm planning on getting as many chapters typed up as I possibly can, so I can make up for lost time! Also, thanks SO MUCH to Obsidian Tear, who has been reviewing like CRAZY to my fics: you are AWESOME, and I love the feedback you've been giving me!**_

 _ **Now, in this chapter, I'm going to reveal a lot of the preparations that Embo told them after the last chapter ended, so here you are!**_

 _ **You know the disclaimers, right? Good.**_

* * *

" _I guess what scares me the most now is the thought that I won't be able to protect you"_

 _~ Julia Hoban_

* * *

Morning came, and Anakin woke up to find Embo struggling to form some vines into a rope using only his right hand and his teeth. His mask lay on the ground to the side, since it was obviously humid enough for the Kyuzo to breathe comfortably without it.

"Embo, you should be resting," he said, causing the Kyuzo to look over at him, letting the vines he had been working with to fall from his mouth.

" **I know, I just…** " he sighed ruefully, looking down. " **I hate feeling so** _ **useless**_ **.** "

"I know how you feel," Anakin said understandingly, moving to sit next to Embo, "but you're not useless. You may not be able to do much on your own, but you have the know-how to get us through this."

" **But I can't even make a simple rope!** " Embo said bitterly, hot tears of frustration sliding from his eyes. Then, Anakin gently pried the vines from Embo's one-handed grip, smiling.

"Then teach _me_ how to do it."

* * *

A few hours later, Anakin and Rex were following Boil to the place he and Waxer had spotted the wild horses, strong ropes of woven vines in hand. Embo had explained to them that catching only one or two horses and taming them would make it easier to catch more.

They just hoped they could get them.

"Okay, I can hear one now," Boil whispered, and the three of them climbed the strong, leafy trees near them to hide. Soon, a black horse with large white patches and a bi-colored mane and tail came into view, looking calm as could be. Anakin quickly readied his lasso, not wanting to miss his chance when it came.

Then, the horse was directly under the tree, grazing. After what felt like hours, it finally lifted its head, and Anakin dropped the lasso around its neck.

Almost instantly, the horse panicked, rearing with a shrill whinny before bolting! Anakin found himself yanked out of the tree, getting dragged along the ground, before he latched onto a tree trunk, managing to loop the rope around it before it could be yanked from his grip!

While he waited for the animal to calm down, Anakin took that time to catch his breath, wiping sweat, dirt, and traces of blood from his face. Then, he heard shouting, and looked to see Rex and Boil struggling to stop a dapple grey horse they had snagged with Rex's rope.

Finally, the clones got their prize tethered to a tree near Anakin, whose horse was starting to calm down a bit.

"Well, that's two captured," the Jedi said, gazing at the beautiful animals. "Now we just…"

Suddenly, a bit of movement caught his eye, and looked towards it, only to gasp in shock. Another creature, similar to yet different from the horses, was daintily stepping over some small bushes, cloven hooves sure-footed, and short fur a light reddish brown color. It had no make, and the hair on its short tail was also short, and branch-like antlers adorned its head.

Quickly, Anakin got on the holocom with Embo. "Hey, can you tell us what this animal is?"

There was a pause, before Embo answered, _:_ _ **That's a male white-tail deer; also called a buck or stag. They're a game animal, and plentiful. Their meat is good, and other parts are useful too.**_ _:_

"We'll nab it, then. Thanks." Anakin turned off the holocom, and nodded to Rex, who pulled a knife from his belt. No blasters; they didn't want to scare the horses more.

The captain threw the knife, and the Jedi guided it with the Force to impale the deer in the forehead, killing it instantly. The animal fell to the ground, and Anakin stood.

"I'll handle the deer; you two, bring the horses to the camp."

* * *

When the three arrived, they found that the rest of the clones had used logs to construct a fenced-in enclosure, and Ahsoka was proudly carrying a pair of fluffy, brown, long-eared animals and a black-feathered bird into camp.

"Master! Looks like I'm not the only one having good luck," the Padawan said, noticing the horses and dead deer.

"What are those things?" the Jedi Knight asked, levitating the deer over to a clear space on the grass.

"Two rabbits and a crow," the Togruta said, smiling. "Embo taught me how to make snares for small animals, and I found these when I went to check them!"

"That's great, Snips!" Anakin said, then asked, "have the others been keeping him occupied?"

"I think so… there's a lot we all need to learn about surviving out here…" Ahsoka said, as she led her master back to where the Kyuzo was resting. When they got there, they saw Embo explaining how to weave vine mats to Padme and Riyo, while Sigu skinned a small, furry, black and gray animal nearby. Padme was the first to notice them.

"Ani, Ahsoka! You're back!" The others looked over at this, and Embo immediately instructed Ahsoka to go to Sugi to learn how to skin and prepare the animals she got. Then, Anakin sat down next to Padme.

"Embo, my group caught two horses and killed a deer; Rex and Boil are taking the horses to the new enclosure." Embo nodded, smiling.

" **That's good. I'm teaching these two to make simple riding mats; we can use them for taming the horses until we can make something stronger,** " the Kyuzo said, then used the Force to summon a few holopads to him, and handed them to Anakin, saying, " **Read those; they'll explain how to make a makeshift bridle out of rope and bone, and how to ride and tame the horses.** "

"Thanks," the Jedi General said, accepting the holopads, and going off to recruit a 'taming squad' to help him. Embo chuckled, watching him leave.

"What's so amusing, Embo?" the Chancellor asked curiously. Embo grinned.

" **I didn't tell him that trying to tame horses often results in extensive bruising.** "

* * *

 _ **And that's it for chapter 5! Embo sure is mischievous, isn't he? I guess not being able to do much made him really bored…**_

 _ **Well, next chapter is coming up really soon, so until then, please R &R!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	6. Bruises, Berries, and Beginnings

_**Ok, Chapter 6, here we go! I had PLANNED to post this the same day as the last chapter, but life got in the way. I had to meet up with my dad and one of his college students for a caving trip, but when we attempted to hike through the forest to get to the cave, we couldn't even get to it because someone had haphazardly cut down trees in the path we usually take to that particular cave, so we had to turn back. And the heat index was well over a hundred degrees fahrenheit, while we were wearing full-body caving suits. Yeah, we didn't really have a lot of fun, and after we went back to the college to put away the caving gear, I sat in my dad's (thankfully) air-conditioned office for a few hours while he edited photos on his office computer. I only had my phone on me at that time, and I had to keep in plugged in while I did games and writing on it, and the internet I had access to there wasn't exactly the best (plus I didn't have my notebook on me), so I couldn't get this up!**_

 _ **Now, last chapter, Embo had a bit of fun at Anakin's expense, and here's the aftermath!**_

 _ **You know the drill.**_

* * *

" _Your battles inspired me - not the obvious material battles but those that were fought and won behind your forehead."_

― _James Joyce_

* * *

By the time Anakin and the five clones had managed to tame the black and white horse (which turned out to be male), they were tired and sore. One of the clones had called the stallion a wild renegade, just before getting thrown from his back, and the name stuck.

"Okay, now that Renegade likes us…" Anakin said, "I'm ready to get something to eat…"

"Same here, Sir," Rex sighed, rubbing his sore left shoulder. They were all going to have _spectacular_ bruises in the morning…

Then, Padme came over to them, a large basket of dark purple berries in her arms (which were covered in small, thin scratches), and smiling widely.

"You boys look hungry," she said, looking at each of them. "I found what Embo called a 'blackberry' bush about a hundred meters away from camp, so he told me how to weave a basket and sent me to gather them! Help yourselves!"

"Thank you, ma'am," Rex said, taking a handful of the large berries and popping one in his mouth, letting out a surprised 'mmm!' at the taste. ' _So_ _much better than ration bars!_ '

The others, once they saw that Rex wasn't dropping dead, immediately grabbed handfuls of the berries for themselves, thanking the Senator.

"Padme, what happened to your arms?" Anakin asked, after swallowing a berry. Padme chuckled softly.

"It's nothing, Anakin. Blackberry bushes have sharp thorns, that's all,"

The Senator assured him, but he grew worried.

"What if the thorns were poisonous?"

"They aren't, Ani; stop worrying…"

* * *

A few days later, they were finally ready to start their long journey. Twenty horses (most of the clones were now covered in bruises), ten makeshift carts and wagons loaded with equipment and supplies, thirty clones, six politicians (including guards), three Jedi, one Zabrak Bounty Huntress, one anooba, and one wounded, Force-sensitive Kyuzo Jedi/Bounty Hunter.

"Okay, everyone ready?" Anakin asked, from where he sat on the back of Renegade, vine-rope reins in hand. Everyone replied to the affirmative, and he nodded. "Then let's get going! Forward!"

* * *

 _ **Yeah, yeah, I know, it's short… but they're off, and headed across the North American continent to where the colony is located! Now, since I don't really know much about how the continent would look if there were no big cities (or settlements in general), I'll be taking a lot of liberties with this, so don't be mad!Also, just as an FYI, I'm trying to balance luck and hardships, so please, PLEASE understand that I don't enjoy seeing the characters I like getting hurt! It's painful for me to write this, but it's what my brain says, and I just find the way to make it so they at least don't die!**_

 _ **R &R!**_


	7. Love of a Brother

**_Ok, Chapter 7, here we go! Last chapter, we saw a short little snippet where our intrepid heroes are beginning their long journey from the far northeastern corner of Arkansas to the colony on the southern half of the Californian coast! In this chapter, we are first going to take a look at how our good friend Embo is doing on this trip…_**

 ** _You know the drill._**

* * *

 _"Being his real brother I could feel I live in his shadows,_

 _But I never have and I do not now._

 _I live in his glow."_

 _~ Michael Morpurgo_

 _"Life's a battlefield, and we remain loyal to those who fight for us; those who'd die for us."_

 _~ Crystal Woods_

* * *

Wmbo winced in pain, as a wheel of the wagon he lay in hit a rock, jarring his broken leg. Kix had wrapped bacta patches around his entire leg, his left shoulder, and his broken finger, then immobilized them the best he could. Embo had protested, however, because the medic had used most of the patches salvaged from the wrecked ship. He had only consented when Kix threatened to knock him out.

Now, however, all the Kyuzo could do was lay on the layer of furs and blankts the others had put in the wagon to make a bed for him, feeling helpless and useless.

He hated feeling like that.

"Embo?" the Kyuzo turned his head towards the voice, and saw Ahsoka looking in at him through an opening in the vine-woven cover on the wagon. The flap that usually covered it was rolled up, so the five people that were riding horses could check in on him. "Are you feeling ok? Do you need Kix to give you another painkiller?"

" **No, it's not that bad yet… though I am considering giving Padme and the Chancellor a holopad on weaving vine hammocks,** " he answered, wincing when the wagon rolled over another rock. Ahsoka smiled in amusement at Embo's attempt at making a joke about his condition.

"I can take it to them, if you want me to," she said, and had to stifle her laugher at how fast Embo's expression turned hopeful, as he used the Force to summon the holopad to him. Ahsoka then summoned it to her own hand, and spurred her horse forward to go find the politicians.

That left Embo bored again. He had nothing to do, nothing he could do, save sleep, and with how bumpy the ride was… sleep was hard to come by.

Then, after a few minutes, he somehow managed to fall asleep, his mind wandering his dreams and memories… and even space.

He dreamed of Phatrong… and it was so real, he nearly forgot he was dreaming.

 _" **So, Kendo, don't you ever feel overshadowed by your star-wandering older brother?** " a Kyuzo warrior asked of Embo's third-youngest brother, whose new armor and red face paint showed that he was just come of-age, and they were at the celebration that the village had arranged in his honor. " **I noticed he never showed up. Some brother, not coming to your coming-of-age rite of passage.** "_

 _" **I have never felt overshadowed by Embo,** " Hendo said defensively, now glaring at the warrior. Embo noted with pride that his brother wore the kanata he had crafted for him sheathed at his hip. " **He is my brother, and I feel honored to call myself blood to him. As for his absence… I do not hold it against him. I know it must be difficult for him to be able to make it to every celebration, what with his occupation out among the stars.** "_

 _Embo's eyes filled with tears at his brother's words. Oh, how he wished he was there in person… He reached out a hand, touching Kendo's right shoulder, saying, " **My brother… I wish I could truly be here for you… to see you become a man… but know that I am proud of you… I just hope you can hear me…** "_

 _To his surprise, his brother reached up with his left hand, and touched Embo's hand, eyes wide. Then, he looked back at the warrior, grinning._

 _" **Seems like you were wrong about my brother not coming, Shondu. He is far away, yet also here by my side. We cannot see him, but I can feel his touch, hear his voice…** " Kendo paused, then glared at Shondu. " **He is the strongest, bravest warrior I have ever known, and he has always lent that strength to us, his brothers and sisters.** "_

 _Shondu snorted, then sneered, " **yes, all hail Embo, the coward who trained alone and hardly spoke a word.** "_

 _Embo felt like the warrior had stabbed him in the heart with those words, and he felt his brother tense up with anger. " **No, Kendo; don't…** "_

 _" **Shondu, you know nothing,** " Kendo said through gritted teeth, holding himself back at Embo's plea. " **It takes more strength and bravery to suffer alone in silence than it does to take a life for the first time! Embo… when the pain in him got really bad, he still didn't talk about it… he didn't ask for help… he gave. He, who should have been given so much, gave to other and never stopped giving!** "_

 _" **Kendo…** " Embo whispered, the pain in his heart fading, being replaced by love for his brother. His hold was slipping, his mind starting to return to the waking world. Then, Kendo spoke._

 _" **If I could be half the man Embo is, I'd be satisfied…** "_

Embo suddenly woke up, crying out in pain when his leg was bounced around as the wagon rolled over several rocks of varying sizes in quick succession! Instantly, the clone driving the wagon shouted for one of the riders, and Anakin was soon at the window.

"Embo, what's wrong?!"

" **L-leg…** " the Kyuzo managed to force out, the searing pain making it hard.

"I'll get Kix," the Jedi said, then rode off, shouting, "hold up, everyone! Stop the wagons!!"

Embo felt the wagon come to a stop, as he gritted his teeth to try to keep himself from screaming. Soon, the medic climbed into the wagon, med kit in hand, and Anakin following him.

"It's ok, Embo," the medic said soothingly, giving the Kyuzo a dose of painkiller. Then, he turned to Anakin. "I think we should stop here for the night; I may need to set his leg again."

"I'll give the order," the Jedi assured, and left the wagon.

* * *

An hour later, the clones had split into teams; some gathered materials to make tools and such, some went hunting, some went to fetch water, and the rest watched the horses.

When Senator Amidala and Chancellor Chuchi had heard about how rough the ride had been for Embo's injuries, they had immediately started to weave a vine hammock for him, following the directions on the holopad. They knew that, if they could keep the Kyuzo off the floor, the journey would be much easier on his battered body.

"Poor Embo," Riyo said, checking their progress. "He has suffered so much, and it seems he still must suffer…"

"Yet he has not lost his ability to love and trust others," Padme commented, pulling a vine through, "He came close to losing it all not too long ago, but he's recovered quite quickly."

"Yes… that incident when my predecessor was killed," Riyo said slowly, eyes downcast. "It was all over the holonet news for three weeks. I honestly don't think I would have survived, if I was in Embo's place."

"He _is_ one-of-a-kind, isn't he?" Padme commented thoughtfully, her hands moving automatically. "I've wondered, ever since he told me about how his oldest brother died, what his family's like. Do all of them have Embo's heart?"

"Phatrong is a neutral world," the Chancellor said, now thinking the same thing. "Not much is known about Embo's people, since it is rare that even one member of their species leaves the planet. However, if we could secure an alliance…"

"We could gain a powerful ally in the Kyuzo," Padme said, smiling. "Embo could secure safe passage, and we could be able to make a mutually beneficial agreement! I just hope we all survive this, first…"

* * *

 ** _Well, that happened. Yeah, Embo had a vision there. Just as a bit of background, Embo had five older brothers, five younger brothers, and three younger sisters. Shondu was in the same age group for training as Embo, and, as you may have guessed, hates Embo's guts. He was trying to turn Kendo against Embo, but Kendo loves his brother too much._**

 ** _Anyway, next chapter will be slightly more violent, so watch out for that!!_**

 ** _TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	8. Un-Bear-Able Circumstances

_**Alright, chapter 8, here we go! This one's a bit short, I know, but I'm introducing my favorite squad of OC clones, Mythic Squad! We're veering away from our focus on Embo for this chapter, just so you know.**_

 _ **You know the drill.**_

* * *

" _We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided."_

 _~ J.K. Rowling_

* * *

Rex and Ahsoka led the small hunting party through the trees, searching for wild game. With over 40 people (plus an anooba) to feed, they needed to keep plenty of meat on hand, especially since Ahsoka couldn't digest plants.

They had spent a few hours reading holopads the night before, trying to memorize as many animals as possible. It had actually been rather interesting.

Suddenly, there was the sound of heavy, growling breathing, coming from behind a bunch of large bushes, before a huge, hairy, dark brown animal stood on its hind legs with a loud roar, clack-clawed paws ready to strike them down; towering above them all!

"Get back!" Ahsoka shouted to the clones, back-stepping away from the dangerous-looking animal, pointing her spear at it.

The only reason they were using weapons with stone or metal blades was to avoid burning the forest down. Keeping the pelts as undamaged as possible was just a bonus.

"What _is_ that thing?!" a clone shouted, narrowly avoiding getting clawed in the face when the animal swung at him with a paw!

"It's a bear!" another clone shouted. His name, Draco, fit him perfectly. While serving under Commander Cody in the 212th, he was caught in an explosion that cost him his right eye, and left that side of his face looking scaly; further enhances when he had the scars tattooed. He had even gotten a bionic eye that looked like a fire-gold dragon eye. Ironically, he had gotten his name before graduation. "Judging by the size; a grizzly!"

Draco's voice had a harshness to it that had resulted from accidentally inhaling sparks and hot ash during the explosion that disfigured him, as he pointed his own spear at the bear. One of his squad-mates, a scout named Fenrir, was gripping a pair of daggers: his favorite weapons.

"Draco, how do we kill this thing?!" Rex shouted, gripping the shaft of his spear. The scarred clone was quick to answer.

"Either stab between the ribs from the chest of behind the shoulder, or aim for its head!" he shouted hoarsely, and the others fanned out around the bear, weapons at the ready.

Ahsoka struck first.

The teenaged Togruta lunged forward with a vicious snarl, jumping and landing on the muscular hump of the bear's shoulders, trying to use her position to stab the animal behind the shoulder, but the bear reared on its hind legs again with a mighty roar, and Ahsoka had to bury her free hand in its thick fur to avoid falling off and being killed!

"A little help would be nice!' she said, struggling to hold on. In response, Fenrir came charging in, and threw one of his daggers when he dodged a swinging paw. The blade hit home, sinking deep into the flesh behind the bear's left shoulder.

With a dying bellow, the great predator fell, hitting the ground so hard that the clones felt a faint tremor beneath their feet.

When the adrenaline rush had faded a bit, Fenrir turned to the others.

"How we gonna get this back to camp?"

* * *

 _ **Well, that's it for chapter 8! Sorry about how short it is, but I hope the action makes up for it! Also, we're going to have a 3-month time skip between chapters here, because I had gotten bored of trying to write a nearly day-by-day account of their travels. And I was tired of making Embo suffer with being inactive.**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	9. Changing Seasons

_**Another day, another chapter. Such is the life of one such as me. Heh, just a little bit of my own philosophy there, and I don't know why I did it. Anyway, we're here in chapter 9 of DGAP, and we're coming back to Embo, after a three-month timeskip from the last chapter! The reason being that, when I wrote this in my notebook, I was getting tired of our brave Kyuzo friend being so inactive, so I wanted to get to the point where he was healed up! However, with Earth weather, you know that it's probably going to be changing at this point. You see, they were about in the middle of summer when they crashed… so you might be able to guess what's going to happen.**_

 _ **And thanks again to Obsidian Tear for you reviews! You are AMAZING, and I thank you so much for your feedback! Marrok gives you many cuddles and anooba kisses!**_

 _ **Anyway, you guys know the drill. Let's move on.**_

* * *

" _A cold wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things."_

 _~ George R.R. Martin_

* * *

Embo rose at the front of the wagons and carts, his body finally healed enough to actually _do_ something. Marrok trotted along happily beside the pure white horse his master rode, not bothered by the chill in the air.

But Embo was.

Two months ago, he had been forced to don his mask again, as humidity decreased. Now, it was getting colder.

That meant winter was on its way.

Oh, he knew the Chancellor would be fine, since her species had evolved on a frozen moon… but the others hadn't; he himself was adapted for a tropical world. And Anakin was from Tatooine, a desert world.

No, this was a dangerous situation they were in.

" **All stop,** " the Kyuzo ordered, once he had decided they had come to a suitable place to make camp. While the others were unloading from the wagons, Embo rose over to the three Jedi, Sugi, and two politicians. " **We need to talk; all of us. There's danger in the air.** "

"What do you mean, Embo?" Sugi asked worriedly, brow creasing. The Kyuzo dismounted, keeping ahold of the reins, before speaking.

" **You've all noticed how it grows colder each day?** " he asked, and they all nodded. " **Winter is coming. Deadly blizzards, avalanches, and below-freezing temperatures. Good news is, we've almost reached the mountains.** "

"Winter…" Obi-Wan said darkly, a hand on his beard, "a time when all food is scarce."

" **Yes,** " Embo said, " **which is why we must stock up on food now. We should also construct at least one more wagon to transport both food for us, and for the horses.** "

"But that would mean…" Anakin started, and Embo nodded.

" **Cutting down the amount of riders from five to three,** " he finished, and the Jedi exchanged uncertain glances. They were wary of the risk they would be taking with this, but if they didn't have the room for the extra food, they might starve to death…

"We should ride in shifts, then… and get warmer clothes for all of us," Obi-Wan finally said, and the others nodded in agreement. Then, Rex came over, his expression troubled.

"Sirs, there's something wrong with one of the horses," the Captain stated, and they all looked at him in alarm. Then, Embo went to stand in front of him, still holding the reins of his horse.

" **Show me.** "

* * *

When they got to where Rex had left the horse he was concerned about, a palomino mare named Glory, Embo passed the reins of his white stallion, Reliable, over to the Captain, and went to examine the mare.

She looked more exhausted than any of the others horses, her head drooping, and her sides heaving, and she was slick with sweat. The Kyuzo placed a hand on the side of her face, reaching into her through the Force as he slowly slid his hand down her neck and across her side, coming to a stop just before her flank. Surprised, he began to chuckle.

"What? What is it?" Ahsoka asked, as Embo straightened. He turned to face her, a twinkle nearly hiding the haunted look in his glowing compound eyes.

" **There's not really anything wrong with Glory, Ahsoka. She's around six months pregnant.** " The Kyuzo gave the mare an affectionate pat on the side of her neck, before taking his stallion's reins from Rex.

"So… what do we do?" Anakin asked, and Embo looked over at him.

" **Take her off the wagon team; she can be ridden for the next two months,** " he said, before mounting his stallion. " **I'm going hunting; try to find animals with the thickest pelts I can. I recommend you send out two hunting parties to do the same.** "

* * *

 _ **Welp, that's chapter 9! A bit shorter than I thought it was, but no biggie, eh? Next chapter, we'll be able to see Embo going hunting, so be on the lookout for that!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	10. Hunting

_**We're back, everyone! Sorry for the long hiatus, but I've been having trouble with getting enough time on the computer to type up my pre-written chapters! Also, I've been working on "Life of the Dance" and other fics, so my time has been really taken up by those, but I've been working on other pre-written chapters as well, so I have a lot of material to catch up on now! However we are back, and we're going to join Embo on his hunting trip!**_

 _ **You know the disclaimers.**_

* * *

" _You can be the hunter, or you can be the hunted."_

 _~ Lisa Gardner_

" _In order to survive in a world of instinct,  
its' alternative is to hunt or being hunted.  
Reject this, then be prepared to be hunted." _

_~ Toba Beta_

* * *

Embo rode through the forest on his stallion, Reliable, his hunting bow in hand and a quiver of arrows on his back. There were already three plump rabbits tired to his belt, their white pelts thick and warm.

Suddenly, Reliable stopped in his tracks, snorting nervously. The Kyuzo placed his free hand on the stallion's neck, asking him what was wrong through the Force.

' _Meat-eater! Big Meat-eater!_ ' Embo's eyes widened, and he cast the Force widely around him, trying to sense the danger. There was a presence in one of the trees; hungry and cunning.

Embo looked up towards it, and saw amber eyes and tawny fur among the branches. Instantly, faster than a human could blink, he drew his bow, and loosed an arrow towards the animal, and the predator fell from the tree with a scream of pain!

It was a mountain lion. Embo's arrow had buried itself deep in its chest. The great cat was dying.

The Kyuzo dismounted, walking over to where the beautiful animal lay on the ground. Kneeling down, he placed one hand on the cougar's head and the other on its throat, gripped… and broke its neck.

The animal died instantly, having been given a more painless death than having to die from the arrow wound.

Embo then picked up the big cat, and brought it over to Reliable, who had calmed down. After laying the cat's body over the horse's shoulders, the Kyuzo mounted, and then placed the cougar closer to him. Then, he took up the reins in his free hand, and steered his stallion back towards camp...

* * *

When Embo arrived, he saw Sugi and a pair of clones skinning a pair of thick-furred deer and a mountain goat. He rode over to them, drawing their attention.

"Embo! What _is_ that?!" the Zabrak said, pausing in skinning her goat. The Kyuzo just dismounted, pulling the body of the big cat off of his horse.

" **A cougar,** " he finally said, laying the carcass down on the grass, while another clone came and led Reliable away. " **Big one, too. Tried to jump us, but Reliable smelled him and let me know.** "

As the others were studying the big cat, Embo untied the three rabbits from his belt, and lay them next to the predator.

"Thich pelts on 'em," the scout, Fenrir, said, as he came up to the quartet with his squad. Each of the five in Mythic Squad had a wolf slung over their shoulders, and either a rabbit of a racoon tied to their belt; although Shaman, the long-haired medic, had a fox and a coyote tied to his belt instead, and the wolf he had was a russet red color. "We ran into these wolves just as we started heading back; got these five, and the rest ran off."

"Where do you want these?" the pilot, Griffin, asked, looking to Embo.

" **Lay them out on the ground, and if you know how, grab a knife and start skinning,** " the Kyuzo said, pulling out one of his own two knives, pausing to gaze at it for a few seconds.

It and its twin had once belonged to the oldest of his brothers, Mavo, who had died trying to protect him. They had been left untouched for years, until Embo had received them as a gift for his Coming of Age.

Sugi watched Embo run his thumb over the tribal vine markings etched into the flat of the blade, feeling like she could see the thoughts running through his head. However, she felt strangely reassured by the single tear that fell from his right eye.

Because it meant that he was able to let go of the pain. He was still able to let himself feel.

"I know you miss him, Embo," she said softly, putting one hand on his shoulder, "but I'm sure he's proud of you. You've come so far…"

" **I know he's proud…** " the Kyuzo whispered, hearing a familiar voice chuckle among the whispers of the Force.

Mavo and his four other dead brothers were always with him.

Always.

* * *

 _ **Yep, another short one. Embo had a bit of introspection at the end, but yeah, he's never alone now. And his brothers won't let him forget it! Sometimes he takes comfort from it… sometimes he thinks his brothers just want to drive him insane.**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	11. Seasons Turning

_**We're back! It took a little longer than I would have liked to get this chapter online, but I am having to use my phone for part of the time again, so… yeah. Anyway, we've taken a little time skip from the last chapter, and things aren't looking good for our brave heroes.**_

 _ **You know the disclaimers.**_

* * *

" _Sunshine will guide your heart even on the most darkest of days."_

 _~ Anthony T. Hincks_

* * *

Embo pulled his fur coat tighter around himself, trying to block out the biting cold wind in the mountains. He was riding his white stallion, Reliable, beside one of the wagons at the front of the group. Marrok was inside, since his white fur made it easier to lose him in the snow.

Winter had hit hard, as they had been five days into the mountain range.

That was last week.

Now, all wagons and carts were connected with ropes, and Embo constantly checked his holomap to find the easiest route through the mountains.

Food was rationed out; it was all dried, smoked, salted, or otherwise preserved, so it wouldn't go bad. They all had heavy fur clothing as well, save for their Pantoran Chancellor.

Embo and Anakin, however, were faring the worst.

The Jedi Knight, being from a desert planet, wasn't really accustomed to these extreme temperatures. The Kyuzo's race had evolved in warm, humid, shady jungles.

Oh, Embo had pretty much despised living on Tatooine, that's for sure. Hot, dry, and virtually no shade to hide from the twin suns in. Plus sand. He didn't know how, but those little grains of glass always managed to get into _everything_.

Now, however, he almost wished he was there, if it meant he wouldn't be so _cold_.

* * *

Hours later, Embo called the group to a halt in front of a large shelter cave, seeing it as a perfect place to stop for the night.

As the group was unloading, however, Embo heard Mevo's voice in his head. ' _ **Baby brother, you're so close! Cudar is bringing someone this way…**_ '

" **I'm going to look around,** " the Kyuzo told Obi-Wan, whose brow furrowed in concern.

"But you're freezing! Surely you'll come warm up by a fire first?" he asked, but Embo shook his head.

" **It can't wait. I'll be back…** " With that, he rose out of the cave, soon swallowed up by the falling snow...

* * *

 _ **(Dodges a tomato) I know! I know! Majorly short AND with a cliffhanger! I couldn't help it!**_

 _ **Anyway, that's chapter 11! I'm going to post 12 soon, so keep an eye out for it!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	12. Frozen Rescue

_**Okay, we're back with chapter 12! Last chapter, we saw that Embo vanished into a snowstorm… but where is he going? What will he find? And will this be the last we see of our brave hero?**_

 _ **You know the disclaimers.**_

* * *

 _"A cold wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things."_

 _~ George R.R. Martin_

 _"The snow was endless, a heavy blanket on the outdoors;_

 _It had a way about it. A beauty. But I knew that, like many things,_

 _Beauty could be deceiving."_

 _~ Cambria Hebert_

* * *

Following the pull of the Force, Embo rode through the snowstorm, barely able to see ten feet in front of him. It felt like the cold was seeping into his very bones; he could barely feel his hands and feet, and his teeth were chattering.

After a while, he was just about frozen into an ice cube, nearly falling off his stallion, when a bright light nearly blinded him!

Holding one numb hand up to shield his eyes, the Kyuzo felt an overwhelming relief at seeing the large speeder-vans that the light was coming from, and at the sight of multiple familiar faces running towards him!

"Embo!" a Duros man exclaimed, coming up beside his friend's horse. The Kyuzo tried to reply, but his teeth were chattering too much to get the words out. Then, weakened by the cold and a feeling of faintness stealing over him, he started to slide sideways off of his stallion, but strong arms caught him before he could fall…

The next thing he knew, he was bundled up in the back of one of the speeder-vans, his normal mask removed, and the mask replacing it feeding him warm, humid air, and an I.V. in his arm giving him fluids.

A pair of women, a Nautolan (who he recognized to be Leik, Kitara's mother) and an unfamiliar Pantoran, were tending to him, the Pantoran keeping a hand on Embo's forehead.

"Embo, you're awake!" Leik exclaimed, sheer relief in her voice. "When you passed out, we thought we were going to lose you! Where are the others? Did anyone else make it?"

" **N-n-no c-c-casult-t-ties…** " the Kyuzo managed to say, his teeth still chattering from how cold he was, " **Th-they're in sh-sh-shelt-t-ter c-c-cave…** "

"You must mean that large shelter cave about half a mile from here," said a new voice, and Embo looked over. A Togruta woman sat a few feet away, watching.

The colony leader, Tanoka Anko.

* * *

Back at the convoy, the others were getting worried.

"He should have been back by now…" Obi-Wan said, gazing out of the cave. Anakin was with him, tending a fire.

"Looks like the storm's getting worse…" the younger Jedi observed, sitting back and huddling in his heavy bearskin coat. "If he doesn't get back soon…"

"I'm going to look for him," Obi-Wan said determinedly, starting to walk out of the cave. However, before he could step outside, a bright light shone directly in his eyes!

"Master… is that…" Anakin started slowly, shielding his eyes, while the rest of the group started coming over. Then, a few humanoid figures came over from outside: two Duros, a Nautolan, two wolflike Lupinions, a Togruta, two Theelins, a Zabrak, and a Pantoran.

It was a search party from the Colony!

"Man, am I glad to see you," Ahsoka said, coming over to them. The Nautolan looked over them all in concern.

"You all look half-frozen," she said worriedly, then looked over to Tanoka. "We ld get them all into the speeders…"

"Wait," Anakin said, interrupting her, "what about Embo? He…"

"We already found him," Leik assured him, "He's being treated for severe hypothermia as we speak. Once we got him warmed up enough, he told us where to find you."

"What about the horses?" Sugi asked, relieved that Embo was going to be ok. Tanoka smiled.

"We have enough room for everything and everyone here. Now, get in the speeders, and let Leik and the other medics treat you; let _us_ worry about loading everything up.

* * *

When Sugi was brought into the back of the speeder-van by the Pantoran woman, she was met by a warm gust of air. A Korun woman was pulling fluffy, folded blankets out of a compartment, while a younger Korun woman was checking some equipment. Embo was there too; bundled up in fluffy blankets on a cot, a medical breathing mask fitted over his mouth and nose, and an I.V. in his left wrist. He was peacefully sleeping, though a monitor next to him showed abnormally-low body temperature levels.

"Don't wake him," the Pantoran said, seeing Sugi take a step towards the sleeping Kyuzo. "He needs his rest; as do you. Come, I can sense that you're dangerously cold."

"You're Force-Sensitive?" Sugi asked, as the older Korun woman put one of the fluffy blankets around her. It was wonderfully warm, obviously having been heated in that compartment. As she guided Sugi to a cot, the Pantoran smiled softly.

"Yes, though I never became a Jedi. My name is Suya Nahi; I'm a Bounty Hunter, as well as a trained doctor and psychiatrist." Sugi's eyes widened.

"You're a psychiatrist?" she asked, and Suya nodded. "I wish we had met you sooner…"

"Tanoka invited me to the colony five months ago. I have my own clinic now, though I don't get many patients," the Pantoran explained, still smiling, as she got the Zabrak to lay down. Then, she fitted a breathing mask over the Iridonian's mouth and nose, and set up an I.V. "You should rest now; I'll wake you when we arrive."

"Thank you…" Sugi whispered, already half asleep because of feeling so warm.

The mask was giving her warm, humid air, and the blankets wrapped around her were so soft and warm…

The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was the three Jedi being brought in by Cad and his wife.

Then, sleep overcame her.

* * *

 _ **We'll, there's chapter 12! I hope the length makes up for last chapter, I honestly didn't think it was going to be that short!**_

 _ **Anyway, they were found by the Colony, and now will begin their recoveries from their harrowing journey!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	13. Journey's End

_**Here we are with Chapter 13! Last chapter, we saw that Embo finally got help for the group he had been leading, but the freezing temperatures nearly did him in. Now, we rejoin our brave heroes, as they approach the end of their long journey!**_

 _ **You know the disclaimers.**_

* * *

" _There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends._

 _I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature."_

 _~ Jane Austen_

* * *

Embo was still asleep by the time Suya woke Sugi, and this worried the Zabrak.

"Why isn't he awake?" Sugi asked, and the Pantoran smiled softly.

"He is still recovering. Hypothermia took a greater toll on him than the rest of you because of his biological makeup. As an added factor, he was out in the cold for a longer span of time, and was in a state of extreme exhaustion," she said, removing the I.V. from Sugi's wrist. "Do not worry; he's going to be fine."

"Thank the Force…" Sugi breathed, her eyes closing momentarily. Then, she looked Suya in the eye. "What of the Republic?"

The Pantoran grinned, "As far as the Senate knows, the Chancellor and Senator Amidala have been personally helping scout out a base location, so were out of contact range for an extended amount of time."

"That's a relief," the Iridonian sighed, relaxing. She had been worried that the Senate had replaced Padme and Riyo. Then, she looked around. "Are the Jedi going to be ok?"

"Yes, they'll be fine," Suya said, as her two Korun and single Nautolan companions went about waking up the three Jedi. The three women patiently answered their questions, while a new clone and an Iridonian man came in. "Sugi, let me introduce you to Cliffjumper and Bostax; they'll be helping me get Embo to my clinic's recovery ward."

"Your clinic?" Sugi repeated, getting up, "Do you really have enough room for all of us?"

"No," the Pantoran admitted, chuckling, "Most of you will be in the main building's infirmary; I am only taking Embo and a select few others to my clinic. The reason is that, though the greater chance is that these few will also make full recoveries, even though their condition is worse than the rest of you, there is still a chance of them developing new problems as a result of their original problems."

"So… other than Embo, who all are going to your clinic?" Sugi asked, worried.

"I am definitely taking several of the clones, as well as General Kenobi and General Skywalker," Suya said, as the two Korun women, and Embo was carried out, wrapped in blankets and on a stretcher, by Cliffjumper and Bostax. When Sugi went to follow, however, Suya stopped her, saying, "I'm sorry, but you must wait for a few more minutes until you arrive at the main building. Don't worry, I'll take care of him."

"Thank you…" the Iridonian said softly, reluctantly sitting back down. The Pantoran exited the vehicle, which started moving again seconds later...

* * *

Suya walked briskly over to the glass double-doors of her clinic, which was about half the size of the Jedi Temple's Halls of Healing.

It was times like this she was glad she had a nursing staff. Six women; two Weequay, two Mandalorians, a Twi-Lek, and a blue Nautolan; worked in her clinic as nurses, and, with ten new patients, she would need their help.

Badly.

Entering her clinic, she immediately encountered one of her two Weequay nurses, whose name was Cam Elk. She was a few inches taller than Suya, had her long black braids coiled at the base of her head, and wore the light maroon uniform that was required for the nursing staff at the clinic. She was holding Suya's medical coat, as well as a hair tie.

"Thank you, Cam," the Pantoran said, first taking the hair tie and putting her long, passion fruit pink hair up in a ponytail, then putting her white medical coat on over her gold-trimmed burgundy dress. Then, she turned to the nurse, "Which room was Embo placed in?"

"Recovery room 1-A, Doctor," the Weequay replied, and Suya nodded, satisfied.

"Tell the others to give out other patients full physicals, and begin needed treatments. I'll be in Recovery 1-A, to keep an eye on Embo. I expect the reports by morning.

"Of course, Dr. Nahi," Cam said, bowing slightly in respect before hurrying off.

Swiftly, Suya strode through the clinic, soon arriving at room 1-A in the recovery ward. Opening the door, she found Embo lying on the bed within, fluffy blankets coming up to just below his collarbone, and now dressed in a clean hospital gown. An I.V. was in his left wrist, and the medical breathing mask fitted over her mouth and nose, air tube connected to a machine that supplied warm, humid air. Devices next to the bed showed his vitals, and Suya noted with concern that his heart rate was slower than it should be, and his body temperature was still lower than normal.

She'd have to keep an eye on that.

* * *

 _ **And there you have it! The good Doctor finally revealed that something could still go wrong, and Embo seems to be recovering slower than it appears Dr. Nahi expected him to. What will happen next?**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	14. New Developments

_**Well, everyone, we're back! I feel like I'm on a roll now, I've been able to post so much in the past few days! Just a little heads-up, this is the second to last chapter of this story, and then we're moving on to posting the chapters of the next story, which takes place a week after the last chapter of this story, and I think I'll call that one "Language of the Heart" or something like that.**_

 _ **Anyway, we're going to see how Embo is when he wakes up, after his long journey with the others who had crashed on New Earth to get to the Colony, so let's get going!**_

 _ **(Also, I'm not putting a quote in this chapter, mainly because I'm feeling a little lazy right now and don't want to go through the trouble of trying to find one. Sorry!)**_

 _ **You know the disclaimers.**_

* * *

By morning, Embo started to return to consciousness. However, he noticed something right away.

He felt downright _terrible_.

It was a little difficult to breathe, even with how comfortably humid the air he was breathing was, he felt inexplicably tired, and there was some kind of pressure in his chest.

And then the coughing started.

It felt like his throat was trying to tear itself to shreds with each cough, each one sounding like he was gargling scrap metal, and it _hurt!_

Then, when his coughing fit ended, he took in some rasping gulps of humid air… and someone put a gentle hand on his forehead.

Glancing over, he saw a Pantoran woman leaning over him slightly, her brow furrowed in concentration and concern, and her passion fruit pink hair starting to come loose from its ponytail. Her eyes were closed, and her lips curved into a small frown.

" **Wh-o-o-o a-ar-re yo-o-ou?** " Embo croaked, his voice hoarse and cracking. The woman opened her eyes, which were a pale gold, and removed her hand from his forehead.

"I am Dr. Suya Nahi; I was in the group that rescued you and your friends." Embo's eyes widened.

" **Th-e-e-e o-othe-ers… a-a-ar-** " he suddenly broke off in another violent coughing fit, after which the doctor gently pressed a glass of water to his lips. The cool liquid soothed his dry, irritated throat, granting him some relief. When Embo finished drinking, the Pantoran replaced the medical breathing mask over his mouth and nose.

"The others are fine, I assure you," she said, picking up a clipboard, "Now, I advise that you refrain from trying to talk as much as possible. You developed bronchitis overnight, which is why you're feeling bad.

Bad? No, this was much, much worse than just feeling "bad," much worse. No, "bad" didn't cover it.

Embo was completely and utterly _miserable_.

"I've set you up with some antibiotics that should take care of it in a few days," Suya continued, "but until then, I need to keep you here for treatment."

Well, better than being out in the cold…"

* * *

That same morning, Sugi and most of the others were released from the Colony Infirmary, and given warm winter clothing and maps of the settlement. After being shown where to rent speeders and other modes of transportation, the group split up to explore the area.

"So, Sugi," Padme began, as the Zabrak started up the engine of the six-person speeder, "Where do you want to go first?"

"I'm honestly not sure…" Sugi admitted, and the others in the speeder perked up. Ashoka and the Chancellor shared a glance.

"How about we go downtown?" the Padawan asked, bringing up her holomap. They all had been rather surprised at how large the 7-year-old town was, not having expected its size. "I want to check out some of these shops!"

"Sure," Sugi shrugged, bringing up the map on the GPS. After a few minutes, they found themselves cruising down the shop-lined, snow-covered streets of the downtown area.

"So many shops… and Bounty Hunters…" Padme breathed, looking around in awe.

Indeed, many of the people, either walking or riding in various means of transportation, were obviously Bounty Hunters. Then, Sugi parked in front of a little shop that sold various crafted items.

"Come on, let's check this one out," she said, taking the keys out of the speeder.

When the four ladies entered the shop, they were amazed at the sheer amount of handcrafted items. Leather, wood, metal, and glass were only a few materials used.

"These are incredible…" Ashoka whispered, lightly trailing her fingertips over a little glass figurine of a hummingbird.

"I agree," Riyo said softly, studying a crystal box with silver inlay that created a rose design on the lid.

"It's so hard to choose…" Padme breathed, standing in front of a shelf filled with carved wooden figurines. Then, something caught her eye.

It was a hairpin, the ornament on top delicately entwining gold wire and fire-hued gemstones to form a beautiful bird with long tail feathers. It was back behind a few mahogany carvings of fish and songbirds, and covered in dust.

Gently, the Senator pushed the wood carvings out of the way, and picked up the hairpin. It was stunning, even covered in dust.

"Tha' there's whut tha Boss calls a Phoenix," a male voice suddenly said, and the Senator whirled around, still clutching the hairpin, to find a Weequay man standing behind her! "Sorry fer startlin' ya', madam. My name's Own Rax, I'm tha' owner o' this shop."

"Nice to… meet you," Padme managed to say, pulse still racing. Trying to compose herself, she added, "I'm Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo."

"Well!" Own said, surprised, "This is one o' the best days o' my life! A Galactic Senator in my 'umble li'l ship!"

"Plus a Jedi and the Supreme Chancellor," Sugi said, coming over, Own's eyes nearly popped right out of his head, as he looked to Ashoka and Riyo.

"Well, I'll be…"

* * *

 _ **That's it for Chapter 14! Next up is our last chapter, and then on to the next story!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	15. The Wisest of Words

_**Well, this is the last chapter of Didn't go as Planned…**_

 _ **I'm going to miss this.**_

 _ **Anyway, after this chapter, the next story will pick up a week after, so it won't be too big of a skip. I know you guys were probably pretty upset that Embo got sick, but if you weren't expecting something like that, then I guess you haven't read enough of my stories, or you just haven't learned from them. Not trying to insult anyone, I'm just pointing out that pretty much all of my stories have some kind of tragic or violent plot twist in them, and more than one in most cases. I just don't know what to do if there's no crisis involved, and I don't know why.**_

 _ **Anyway, you guys know the disclaimers, so let's get on with it!**_

* * *

"So, you said this was a Phoenix, Mr. Rax?" Padme asked, and the Weequay nodded.

"Sho' is. The Boss told me 'bout 'em; said they repr'sented life an' rebirth. See," he said, rubbing his chin in thought, "the ancient humans 'ad legends 'bout 'em. They were some sort o' magical firebird tha' would die an' burst inta' flames, then rise 'gain from the ashes."

"That sounds amazing," the Senator said, looking at the hairpin. Own nodded.

"Yeah. So, few ye'rs back, I made tha'. Fergot 'bout it 'til now," he said, scratching the back of his head.

"How much do you want for it?" Padme asked, and Own looked contemplative.

"Well…" he began, looking up in thought, "Fer a nice lady like yerself, I'll charge ye a hundr'd creds."

"That seems fair," Padme smiled, handing him a 100-credit chip. He took it with a smile.

"Want me ter wrap it fer ye?" he asked, and the Senator nodded.

"That would be great, thank you."

* * *

When the four women left the little shop, they had each bought a few small items, some of which they had gotten gift-wrapped as presents. They got back in the speeder, where one of Padme's guards and one of Chuchi's were patiently waiting in the back seats.

"Where to now?" Ahsoka asked, while Sugi started the engine and brought up the GPS.

"I was thinking about going to the clinic…" Sugi admitted, voice soft. "I wanted to see how Embo's doing; if he's woken up yet."

"Good idea," Padme agreed, "and we can see how the others are while you're visiting Embo."

"Then let's get going," Ahsoka agreed, just as Sugi found the directions to the medical clinic.

During the entire 10-minute drive, while the other three women chatted, the Zabrak was silent. She was worried about the man she had worked with for years, who had agreed to bring her with him to the stars when they first met, who she… loved?

Yes… she loved Embo. She loved him with all of her two hearts. If something happened to him, if she _lost_ him…

She didn't know if she could handle it.

Soon, the GPS signaled to them that they had arrived, as they pulled up in front of a lovely, two-story building, and Sugi parked the speeder in an available spot. The four women and two guards got out, going up to the glass double-doors.

Taking a deep breath, Sugi pushed the doors open...

* * *

The clinic's waiting room barely had anyone in it; just a blue-haired Theelin and the receptionist (who was a Mandalorian woman with fair skin and golden hair, and wearing a simple maroon robe with a burgundy belt) behind the desk.

"Excuse me," Ahsoka said, going up to the desk, "We're looking for the ten men who were brought in yesterday?"

"You must be from the Republic group," the lady said, smiling kindly, "I can take you to their rooms; Dr. Nahi is currently with the Kyuzo, Embo."

"Thank you, miss…"

"Cine. Vuri Cine," the woman said. "I'm part of the nursing staff here. With so many patients, it's been 'all hands on deck' for the six of us nurses and the Doctor."

"Well, Nurse Cine," Padme started, "Could you show us where our friends are?"

"Of course; follow me," Vuri said, stepping out from behind her desk.

* * *

Embo coughed harshley, his throat feeling raw, while Suya carefully measured out some medication for him. Then just as his coughing fit ended, the door opened, a little, and one of the nurses poked her head in.

"Doctor, a small group is here to see the patients," she said, and the Kyuzo looked over tiredly.

"Let them in," Suya said, not looking away from what she was doing. The nurse opened the door the rest of the way.

"Go on in," she said, and six people came in.

"Embo!" Sugi exclaimed, and Embo's heart soared, even though he still felt mesierable.

" **Su-ugi-i-i,** " he rasped, voice cracking, and then broke off in another violent coughing fit! Sugi and the others rushed over to his bedside, worried about him!

"Embo?! Doctor, what's going on?" the Zabrak demanded, just as Suya finished measuring the medication.

"He developed bronchitis overnight," the Pantoran said calmly, bringing the small cup of medicine over to Embo, waiting for him to stop coughing. "I've already got him on some antibiotics, which should take care of it in a few days. For now, I'll be giving him medication to help his throat and alleviate some of the discomfort."

Finally, Embo stopped coughing, sagging tiredly against his pillows. Suya took this opportunity to remove the medical breathing mask, and tilted his head up as she poured the liquid medicine into his mouth, making it easier for him to swallow. Then, she set aside the empty cup, and picked up a glass of water, letting her patient drink some to wash away the taste and soothe his irritated throat. Setting the glass down next to the pitcher, Suya replaced the medical breathing mask, and ley his head back down on the pillow.

"I need to go see to other patients," the doctor said, turning to the others, "so could at least one of you stay with him?"

"I will," Sugi immediately volunteered, "is there anything I need to do?"

"When he starts coughing, make sure that he's not coughing up blood or anything; with how his coughs sound, I'm worried about his throat becoming damaged," Suya said, tone deadly serious. "If that happens, or if he doesn't stop coughing after three minutes, push that blue button on the comm. Panel on the wall, and I'll be here as fast as I can. When he's done coughing, give him some water to help his throat."

"I-I understand," Sugi said, her face pale. She was frightened - frightened that something horrible would happen to Embo while the doctor was gone.

When Suya left, the Zabrak sat down in the chair the doctor had vacated, gently grasping Embo's hand, and he tiredly looked over at her.

He didn't try to speak; it hurt too much; but he gently squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her. Like so many times, words were not needed for what he was trying to tell her.

' _It's going to be ok, Sugi. I won't let this beat me._ '

It was something he'd had to tell her far too often… the last time being nearly three years ago, just before his malfunctioning hyperdrive sent him hurtling into unknown space…

/ _FLASHBACK_ /

 _Embo pulled himself painfully to a semi-upright position, using his chair as a support, as equipment all around him sparked and shorted out!_

Embo! What's happening?! _~ Sugi cried, as she, Bane, and Dengar were obviously trying to remotely turn off power to his ship._

" _ **Everything's going haywire…**_ " _the Kyuzo coughed, feeling like at least one rib was broken. "_ _ **Hyperdrive's activated… can't shut it off…**_ "

No! W-we'll find a way to stop it! W-we… I… _~ Sugi was panicking, and Embo knew there wasn't much time left._

 _So he said the only think he could._

" _ **It's going to be ok, Sugi. I won't let this beat me.**_ "

/ _END FLASHBACK_ /

He had managed to keep his word that time, and he would this time as well. He was going to continue to fight to live, to stay by Sugi, for as long as possible.

Slowly, Embo descended into a light sleep; still able to vaguely know what was going on, yet deep enough to get some rest...

* * *

Sugi watched Embo sleep, still holding his hand, while the other three women each sat in soft chairs nearby. Ahsoka placed the four gifts they had gotten for the Kyuzo on his bedside table, making a mental note to talk to Tanoka about making some Kyuzo foods to help him feel better.

"He's a kind soul," Padme said softly, breaking the silence. "It's so unfair that kind people like him often suffer…"

"Life's not fair, Padme," Sugi said, just as softly. "Especially when one lives in the middle of a war."

"Agreed," Riyo commented, tone gentle. "Such is why I push so hard for the war to end: I hate to think of all the pain and suffering."

"Yet some people never give up the fight, no matter how many times they've been knocked down," a new voice said, drawing their attention to the door.

A cobalt-blue Duros woman; in a warm-looking crimson sweater and burgundy velvet bell-bottom leggings, a burgundy scarf wrapped around her neck, black leather boots, and a black hat with the brim turned up on one side; was standing in the doorway, a gift in one hand and a vase of blue and violet flowers in the other.

"Hey, Sihmi," Ahsoka said, smiling softly. Sihmi returned the smile, striding into the room with the grace of an experience dancer, and placed the items she brought on the table, next to those already there.

"Where's your husband?" Sugi asked, as the Duros sat down in an available chair.

"He had to attend a meeting," she said, now smirking. "He was very upset, but since he's a member of the Hunter Council, he had to go."

"What's the meeting about?" Padme asked, and Sihmi chuckled.

"Well, there's a few different decisions to make," the Duros replied, resting her right leg on her left knee, "some of which are solely Colony matters, but they are also debating whether or not to wait until spring to retrieve the wreckage of your ship, and if we should just use the crash site to build your base."

"Then why weren't we invited?"

"Your two highest-ranking clone officers are at the meeting; they've got Embo's maps of the area, and the necessary tactical knowledge," Sihmi assured the Senator, smiling. "Relax, okay? Don't judge until you got all the facts, or you'll end up making a choice you'll regret."

"Wise words, Bounty Hunter," Chancellor Chuchi said, bowing her head in respect. She could tell how experienced the Duros was. Then, she asked, "How long have you lived here?"

"Five or six years," Sihmi said offhandedly, pulling up what looked like an unfinished video on her holo-emitter. "After I was invited to the colony by Tanoka.

"So… Everyone living here…" Ahsoka slowly said, and Sihmi nodded in confirmation.

"Is here by invitation only. She personally does thorough background checks on Bounty Hunters, even interviewing those close to the candidates, and if they pass, then she tracks them down to invite them to the colony," the Duros explained, making a few changes to what she was working on. "Some people, like Cad, only get in because of the interviews. Tanoka knows that the official report rarely tells the whole story, so she does the interviews to learn the reasons they had for what they did."

"So… she doesn't just consider what people do…" Riyo mused, "but also _why_ they did it… Very wise, indeed…"

* * *

 _ **And that's the end of "Didn't go as Planned…" everyone! I'm actually kinda sad, but I had to split this into two different stories a while back in the paper copy because I had somehow changed the plot at some point, so I'll post the new story soon! I think I'll call it either "Calling of Hearts" or "Love of the Bounty," so let me know what you think is better!**_

 _ **THE END!**_


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